Furthermore, DOH6 reported four deaths from the reported cases and all were from Iloilo province – one reported death each from Leganes, Lemery, Barotac Nuevo, and Barotac Viejo towns.
The disease is caused by a Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV), which is a flavivirus or a large group of viruses that are spread most commonly by mosquitoes and is transmitted to an individual through the bite of an infected Culex Tritaeniorhyncous mosquito.
According to the health department, most of the JEV cases are with mild symptoms and one in every 250 cases results in severe clinical illnesses.
These severe symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, seizures, spastic paralysis, and ultimately death. The case fatality rate for this disease can be as high as 30 percent for those with severe symptoms.
To date, there is no medicine nor medically-approved vaccine for Japanese Encephalitis. Patients are being treated based on the signs and symptoms they are manifesting.
Because of these, DOH 6 already distributed resources for vector control to all provinces and highly urbanized cities in the region. Added to that are the provision of technical assistance on vector control and surveillance, enhanced AME syndrome surveillance, and the continued strengthening of the 4S strategy campaign.
In a virtual presser, DOH 6 Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) chief Dr. Jane R. Juanico-Esteva that “with the number of confirmed JEV cases, it is yet too early to note that there is an outbreak of the disease in the region.”
However, Juanico urges the public, especially parents with young children, to ensure the continuous practice of the 4S strategy which has been effective against the Dengue virus-carrying mosquitoes and will do the same with the JEV-carrying mosquitoes.
4S stands for search and destroy breeding places; seek early consultation; self-protection by using mosquito repellants; and, say yes to fogging only in hotspot areas where an increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks. (AAL/FRG/PIA6)
